Creation Theatre’s Dracula transfers to The London Library from 2 February to 2 March 2019

I had a fantastic time talking to Creation Theatre about their thrilling, sonic-immersive, one-woman adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum. I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do with their hit two-hander version of another literary classic, Bram Stoker’s Dracula – my first-ever visit (certainly for a show) to The London Library…

“There is a poison in my blood, in my soul, which may destroy me”

Bram Stoker‘s 1892 Gothic horror novel tells the story of Count Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the vampires’ undead curse.

Creation Theatre Company’s new adaptation of Dracula, written by Kate Kerrow and directed by Helen Tennison, is performed by just two actors and uses innovative audio-visual design to conjure up the phantom count. It had a sell-out run in March 2018 in the basement of Blackwell’s Bookshop in Oxford.

It now transfers for a strictly limited season at the historic London Library, dubbed by Stephen Fry as a “gym of the mind”. For nearly two hundred years, The London Library has played a central role in the intellectual and cultural life of the nation. It holds a remarkable collection of over one million books and periodicals – around 8000 new volumes are added annually – including some astonishing rarities and a uniquely eclectic mix of titles.

Based in Banbury, Creation Theatre have been producing site-specific productions across Oxfordshire for 22 years, bringing anarchic adaptations of classic stories to unusual venues.

“Creation’s new production of Dracula uses innovative techniques & staging to tell the story, while simultaneously taking it back to its roots. Sexuality, identity & the boundary between good & evil are questioned throughout, held up to close scrutiny, and found to be fragile & fragmenting. The horror aspects of the story are brought to the forefront, and there are many moments that are genuinely frightening” – Daily Info

“It is sensuous, unsettling, humorous in parts & technically brilliant with expert stagecraft. It is absorbing to the point of hypnotic. There is a little gore; most of the frights are unseen. This is a very grown-up Dracula for our times with a strong female lead. A hugely enjoyable show & a towering achievement for Creation” – ★★★★★ The Oxford Times

For the Q&A after the 7.30pm performance of Dracula on Friday 8 February 2019, I’ll be joined by members of the cast and creative team.

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Since 1996, I have been passionate about promoting UK theatre, not least through WhatsOnStage.com and the WhatsOnStage Awards, which I founded, and my latest theatre websites, StageFaves.com, a pioneering social media directory for musicals, and MyTheatreMates.com, a portal for theatre bloggers I co-founded with Mark Shenton. In addition, I have hosted hundreds of post-show Q&As, panel debates and other talks with all types of theatremakers. I have also written for various publications including The Times, Evening Standard, Express and Daily Telegraph, and have commented on theatre in a wide variety of print, digital, and broadcast media. Apart from my love of theatre, I am the author of two published novels, Come Clean and Beware the Dwarfs. Follow me on Twitter @TerriPaddock.